Control device for controlling safety device in vehicle

ABSTRACT

A control device to be applied to a vehicle equipped with an imaging device and a safety device is configured to, based on moving-object detection information detected from images captured by the imaging device, actuate the safety device for a moving object.In the control device, a control unit is configured to, in response to any of certain information that it is certain that the object is a moving object and uncertain information indicating that it is not certain whether the object is a moving object being acquired as moving-object detection information, actuate the safety device based on a position of the object subjected to detection with the certain information or the uncertain information. An actuation region setting unit is configured to, when the moving-object detection information is the uncertain information, narrow an actuation region as compared to when the moving-object detection information is the certain information.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

This application is a continuation application of InternationalApplication No. PCT/JP2020/038047 filed Oct. 7, 2020 which designatedthe U.S. and claims priority to Japanese Patent Application No.2019-187640 filed with the Japan Patent Office on Oct. 11, 2019, thecontents of each of which are incorporated herein by reference.

BACKGROUND Technical Field

The present disclosure relates to a control device for controlling asafety device in a vehicle.

Related Art

Conventionally, a device is known that detects an object around an ownvehicle and predicts a collision between the detected object and the ownvehicle. This device detects objects around the own vehicle based onultrasonic waves transmitted and received by a radar sensor mounted tothe front end of the own vehicle.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

In the accompanying drawings:

FIG. 1A is an illustration of an overall configuration of a drivingassistance apparatus;

FIG. 1B is a functional block of a vehicle ECU of the driving assistanceapparatus;

FIG. 2 is a flowchart of a collision avoidance process;

FIG. 3A is an illustration of an example of stationary-objectneighborhood regions;

FIG. 3B is an illustration of an example of far-side regions;

FIG. 4 is an illustration of an example of determination regions definedin a forward direction of travel of an own vehicle;

FIG. 5 is an illustration of time-series position data of asubjected-to-detection object; and

FIG. 6 is a graph illustrating a relationship between reflected waveintensity and size of a mask region for a sonar device.

DESCRIPTION OF SPECIFIC EMBODIMENTS

For the above known device, as disclosed in, for example, JapaneseLaid-Open Patent Publication No. 2004-230947, it is possible to detectobjects around the own vehicle based on images captured by an imagingdevice mounted to the own vehicle, instead of the radar sensor. In aconfiguration where moving objects are detected using images captured bythe imaging device, a determination as to whether there is a movingobject around the own vehicle may not be correctly made despite thepresence of the same object having been detected, except in cases wherethe same object around the own vehicle has been already known to be amoving object. For each object around the own vehicle, certaininformation (or reliable information) indicating that it is certain thatthe object around the own vehicle is a moving object or uncertaininformation (or unreliable information) indicating that it is notcertain whether the object is a moving object may be determined.

In this configuration, if a safety device is actuated regardless ofwhether the object around the own vehicle is detected as certaininformation or as uncertain information, there is a concern that thesafety device may not be properly actuated.

In view of the foregoing, it is desired to have a control device capableof properly actuating the safety device according to moving-objectdetection information.

One aspect of the present disclosure provides a control device to beapplied to a vehicle equipped with an imaging device that capturesimages of surroundings of the vehicle, and a safety device that avoids acollision between the vehicle and an object or reduces collisiondamages. The control device is configured to, based on moving-objectdetection information around the vehicle detected from the imagescaptured by the imaging device, actuate the safety device for the movingobject. The moving-object detection information detected from thecaptured images includes, for each object present around the vehicle,certain information indicating that it is certain that the object is amoving object or uncertain information indicating that it is not certainwhether the object is a moving object. The control device includes: acontrol unit configured to, in response to any of the certaininformation and the uncertain information being acquired as themoving-object detection information, actuate the safety device based ona position of the object subjected to detection with the certaininformation or the uncertain information; and an actuation regionsetting unit configured to change an actuation region where the safetydevice is to be actuated, according to whether the moving-objectdetection information is the certain information or the uncertaininformation, and when the moving-object detection information is theuncertain information, narrow the actuation region as compared to whenthe moving-object detection information is the certain information.

In a configuration where moving objects are detected using imagescaptured by the imaging device, whether a moving object is presentaround the own vehicle may not be correctly determined despite thepresence of this object having been detected, except in cases where theobject around the own vehicle has already been determined to be a movingobject. For each object around the own vehicle, certain informationindicating that it is certain that the object around the own vehicle isa moving object or uncertain information that it is not certain whetherthe object is a moving object may be determined. If the safety device isactuated regardless of whether the object around the own vehicle isdetected with certain or uncertain information, there is a concern thatthe safety device may not be properly actuated.

In this regard, when either certain information or uncertain informationis acquired as the moving-object detection information, the safetydevice is actuated based on the position of the object subjected todetection with the certain or uncertain information. Prior to actuatingthe safety device, the actuation region where the safety device is to beactuated is changed according to whether the moving-object detectioninformation is certain information or uncertain information. This allowsthe safety device to be properly actuated depending on whether a movingobject is detected around the own vehicle as the certain information oras the uncertain information.

Embodiments

An embodiment in which a control device according to the presentdisclosure is applied to a driving assistance system 100 mounted to anown vehicle will now be described with reference to the accompanyingdrawings.

As illustrated in FIG. 1A, the driving assistance apparatus 100 of thepresent embodiment includes cameras 11, sonar devices 12, an imageprocessing electronic control unit (ECU) 21, a vehicle ECU 22, andsafety devices 30.

Each camera 11 is, for example, a monocular camera. The cameras 11 arerespectively attached to the front end, the rear end, and left and rightsides of the own vehicle, and capture images of surroundings of the ownvehicle. Each camera 11 transmits image information of the capturedimages to the image processing ECU 21. In the present embodiment, thecamera 11 corresponds to an “imaging device.”

Each sonar device 12 is, for example, an ultrasonic sensor that usesultrasonic waves as transmission waves, or a radar device that useshigh-frequency signals in the millimeter wave band as transmissionwaves. The sonar devices 12 are respectively mounted to the front end,the rear end, and left and right sides of the own vehicle, and measure adistance to each object around the own vehicle. Specifically, each sonardevice 12 transmits a probe wave every predefined cycle and receives itsreflected waves using a plurality of antennas. A distance to each objectis measured by detecting a plurality of detection points on the objectbased on the time of transmission of the probe wave and times ofreception of its reflected waves. In addition, an azimuth of the objectis calculated based on a phase difference of the reflected wavesreceived by the plurality of antennas. Upon the distance and the azimuthof the object being successfully calculated, the position of the objectrelative to the own vehicle can be determined.

Each sonar device 12 calculates a movement speed of each object based ona change in frequency of the reflected wave reflected by the object dueto the Doppler effect. This allows whether the object around the ownvehicle is a stationary object to be detected. Specifically, an objectis detected as a stationary object when the sum of the movement speed ofthe object and the travel speed of the own vehicle is zero. Each sonardevice 12 transmits stationary-object detection information directed tostationary objects around the own vehicle to the vehicle ECU 22. Thestationary-object detection information includes information about theposition of each detected stationary object relative to the own vehicle.In the present embodiment, each sonar device 12 corresponds to a“ranging device.”

Each of the ECUs 21 and 22 is a control unit that includes a well-knownmicrocomputer formed of a central processing unit (CPU), a read-onlymemory (ROM), a random-access memory (RAM), a flash memory, and othercomponents. The ECUs 21 and 22 acquire various signals and performvarious control based on the acquired information.

Specifically, the image processing ECU 21 detects moving objects aroundthe own vehicle based on the images captured by the cameras 11.Specifically, the image processing ECU 21 calculates a movement speed ofeach object in the captured images from the cameras 11. The imageprocessing ECU 21 calculates an optical flow of each object based on theimage information transmitted from the cameras 11 every predefined cycleand calculates the movement speed of the object based on the calculatedoptical flow. The optical flow is a motion vector representing ofmovement of a plurality of boundary points that are detected as pointsforming a boundary line across which the luminance changes in thecaptured image. The moving objects present around the own vehicle arethereby detected. The image processing ECU 21 transmits moving-objectdetection information directed to moving objects around the own vehicleto the vehicle ECU 22. The moving-object detection information includesinformation about the position of each detected moving object relativeto the own vehicle.

The vehicle ECU 22 actuates the safety devices 30 based on themoving-object detection information directed to moving objects aroundthe own vehicle transmitted from the image processing ECU 21. The safetydevices 30 are configured to avoid a collision between the own vehicleand each object or reduce collision damages, and include a brakingdevice 31, a seat belt device 3, and a warning device 33. In the presentembodiment, the vehicle ECU 22 corresponds to a “control device.”

FIG. 1B illustrates a functional block diagram of the vehicle ECU 22.The vehicle ECU 22 includes, as functional blocks, a moving-objectdetermination unit 201, a stationary-object determination unit 202, amask region setting unit 203, an actuation restriction unit 204, anactuation region setting unit 205, and a control unit 206. Functions ofthese functional blocks 201-206 are implemented by the CPU executing aprogram stored in the ROM.

The braking device 31 decelerates the own vehicle based on a collisionavoidance signal output from the vehicle ECU 22. Based on the collisionavoidance signal output from the vehicle ECU 22, the seatbelt device 32winds up the seatbelt to tighten the seatbelt. The warning device 33 isconfigured to notify the driver or the like of a collision being likelyto occur based on the collision avoidance signal output from the vehicleECU 22. The warning device 33 may include an auditory warning device,such as a speaker or a buzzer, or a visual warning device, such as adisplay, which are installed in the cabin of the own vehicle.

The vehicle ECU 22 is connected to a yaw rate sensor 13, a steeringangle sensor 14, and a vehicle speed sensor 15. The yaw rate sensor 13is installed, for example, at the center of the own vehicle, and outputsa yaw rate signal corresponding to a rate of change in amount ofsteering of the own vehicle to the vehicle ECU 22. The steering anglesensor 14 is attached to, for example, the steering column of the ownvehicle, and outputs a steering angle signal corresponding to a changein steering angle of the steering wheel caused by the driver'soperation. The steering angle sensor 14 outputs the steering anglesignal to the vehicle ECU 22. The speed sensor 15 is attached to, forexample, a wheel of the own vehicle and detects a direction of rotationof the wheel and outputs a vehicle speed signal corresponding to a wheelspeed to the vehicle ECU 22.

In the own vehicle of the present embodiment, moving objects around theown vehicle are detected based on the images captured by the cameras 11,and stationary objects around the own vehicle are detected based onmeasurements made by the sonar devices 12. The vehicle ECU 22 actuatesthe safety devices 30 in collision avoidance processes, that is, a firstactuation process to be performed on moving objects and a secondactuation process to be performed on stationary objects. In the firstactuation process, the vehicle ECU 22 actuates the safety devices 30 toavoid a collision with each moving object or mitigate damages uponimpact with the moving object, taking into account not only the positionof the moving object relative to the own vehicle, but also a movementpath and a movement speed of the moving object. In the second actuationprocess, the vehicle ECU 22 actuates the safety devices 30 to avoid acollision with each stationary object or mitigate damages upon impactwith the stationary object, based on a distance from the own vehicle tothe stationary object.

In a configuration where moving objects are detected using imagescaptured by the cameras 11, it is not possible to properly detect amoving object in some positional relationships between the moving objectand a stationary object, which thus makes it impossible to correctlyperform the first actuation process to be performed on moving objects.For example, in cases where there is another object near a wall as astationary object, and the stationary object (i.e., the wall) and theother object are present in the same captured image, whether the otherobject is a moving object or a stationary object may be mistakenlydetected. In other cases where a moving object is present on the farside of a wall as a stationary object, the moving object may be detectedas a moving object for which the own vehicle is to be controlled despitethe own vehicle not having to be controlled for the moving object on thefar side of the wall.

In the present embodiment, a determination as to whether there is amoving object around the own vehicle is made based on the moving-objectdetection information, and a determination as to whether there is astationary object around the own vehicle is made based on thestationary-object detection information. In addition, at least eitherneighborhood-of-stationary-object regions A1 that are regions includingthe stationary object and its surroundings, or far-side regions A2 thatare regions on the far side of the stationary object with respect to theown vehicle are set as a mask region. In response to the there being amoving object in the mask region, performance of the first actuationprocess on the moving object is restricted.

In a configuration where moving objects are detected using imagescaptured by the cameras 11, a determination as to whether there is amoving object around the own vehicle may not be correctly made despitethe presence of the same object having been detected, except in caseswhere the same object around the own vehicle has been already determinedto be a moving object. For each object around the own vehicle, the imageprocessing ECU 21 determines certain information indicating that it iscertain that the object around the own vehicle is a moving object oruncertain information indicating that it is not certain whether theobject is a moving object, and transmits the certain information or theuncertain information to the vehicle ECU 22. Such certain informationand uncertain information is information indicating the presence of amoving object, where the certain information is high probabilityinformation indicating with a high probability that a moving object ispresent, and the uncertain information is low probability informationindicating with a low probability that a moving object is present thanthe high probability information. If the safety devices 30 are actuatedregardless of whether the object around the own vehicle is detected withcertain information or uncertain information, there is a concern thatthe safety devices 30 may not be properly actuated.

In the present embodiment, when actuating the safety devices 30, anactuation region where the safety devices 30 are actuated is changedaccording to whether the moving-object detection information is certaininformation or uncertain information. When the moving-object detectioninformation is uncertain information, the actuation region is narrowedas compared to when the moving-object detection information is certaininformation. FIG. 2 illustrates a flowchart of a collision avoidanceprocess performed based on moving objects located around the ownvehicle. This process is repeatedly performed by the vehicle ECU 22every predefined cycle.

In FIG. 2, at step S11, the vehicle ECU 22 acquires moving-objectdetection information and stationary-object detection information.Specifically, the vehicle ECU 22 acquires, as the moving-objectdetection information, information about positions and paths of travelof moving objects, such as other vehicles, bicycles, and pedestrians,around the own vehicle, from the image processing ECU 21. In addition,the vehicle ECU 22 acquires position information of stationary objectsdetected by the sonar devices 12.

At step S12, the vehicle ECU 22 determines whether the moving-objectdetection information includes information indicating the presence amoving object. More specifically, the vehicle ECU 22 determines whetherthe moving-object detection information transmitted from the imageprocessing ECU 21 is any of certain information and uncertaininformation. If the moving-object detection information is any ofcertain information and uncertain information, the vehicle ECU 22determines that a moving object is present. If the answer is NO at stepS12, the vehicle ECU 22 terminates the collision avoidance process. Ifthe answer is YES at step S12, the vehicle ECU 22 proceeds to step S13.At step S13, the vehicle ECU 22 determines whether the moving-objectdetection information is uncertain information among certain informationand uncertain information. In the present embodiment, the process stepS12 corresponds to the moving-object determination unit 201 in FIG. 1B.

If the moving-object detection information is certain information andthe answer at step S13 is therefore NO, then the vehicle ECU 22 proceedsto step S22. At step S22, the vehicle ECU 22 performs the collisionavoidance process (the first actuation process) directed to movingobjects. In this case, since an object detected around the own vehicleis recognized as a moving object, the vehicle ECU 22 performs collisionavoidance control to actuate the safety devices 30 based on the positionand the like of the moving object included in the moving-objectdetection information.

If the moving-object detection information is uncertain information andthe answer at step S13 is therefore YES, then the vehicle ECU 22proceeds to step S14, where the vehicle ECU 22 determines whether astationary object is present around the own vehicle. The presence orabsence of a stationary object is determined using the stationary-objectdetection information acquired based on measurements made by the sonardevices 12. Specifically, the vehicle ECU 22 determines whether thestationary-object detection information includes information thatindicates the presence of a stationary object. In the presentembodiment, the process step S14 corresponds to the stationary-objectdetermination unit 202 in FIG. 1B.

If a stationary object is present around the own vehicle and the answerat step S14 is therefore YES, then the vehicle ECU 22 proceeds to stepS15. At step S15, the vehicle ECU 22 setsneighborhood-of-stationary-object regions A1 that include the stationaryobject and its surroundings and far-side regions A2 that are regions onthe far side of the stationary object with respect to the own vehicle,as a mask region. In the present embodiment, the process step S15corresponds to the mask region setting unit 203 in FIG. 1B.

The neighborhood-of-stationary-object regions A1 and the far-sideregions A2 may be set as follows, respectively. As illustrated in FIG.3A, each neighborhood-of-stationary-object region A1 is set as arectangular region with a predefined length in the lateral direction (xdirection) and a predefined length in the longitudinal direction (ydirection) of the own vehicle CA, centered on a detection point P on thestationary object by the sonar devices 12. For example, a length D1 inthe x-direction and a length D2 in the y-direction of eachneighborhood-of-stationary-object region A1 are both equal to 0.5 m.Instead of D1=D2, the length D1 may be greater than the length D2(D1>D2), or the length D1 may be less than the length D2 (D1<D2).

The detection point P may not be at the center of theneighborhood-of-stationary-object region A1. Alternatively, thedetection point P may be biased toward the own vehicle in theneighborhood-of-stationary-object region A1. That is, the size of aportion of the neighborhood-of-stationary-object region A1 on the farside of the detection point P and the size of a remaining portion of theneighborhood-of-stationary-object region A1 on the near side of thedetection point P as viewed from the own vehicle CA may be different.For example, the portion of the neighborhood-of-stationary-object regionA1 on the far side of the detection point P may be broader than theremaining portion of the neighborhood-of-stationary-object region A1 onthe near side of the detection point P. Given the stationary-objectdetection information indicating that there are a plurality of detectionpoints P on an outer surface of the stationary object, aneighborhood-of-stationary-object region A1 is set for each of theplurality of detection points P. A merged region of all of theneighborhood-of-stationary-object regions A1 is set as a mask region.Alternatively, each neighborhood-of-stationary-object region A1 may be acircular region with a predefined radius centered at the detection pointP.

As illustrated in FIG. 3B, each far-side region A2 is set as a regionthat spans a predefined angle θ (or a predefined width) to the left andright relative to a straight line connecting the sonar device 12installed at the front end of the own vehicle and the detection point P,and that extends a predefined distance from the detection point P in adirection away from the own vehicle CA. Given the stationary-objectdetection information indicating that there are a plurality of detectionpoints P, a far-side region A2 is set for each of the plurality ofdetection points P. A merged region of all of the far-side regions A2 isset as a mask region.

At step S15, both the merged region of neighborhood-of-stationary-objectregions A1 and the merged region of far-side regionneighborhood-of-stationary-object regions are set as mask regions.Alternatively, either the merged region ofneighborhood-of-stationary-object regions A1 or the merged region offar-side regions A2 may be set as a mask region.

Then, at step S16, the vehicle ECU 22 determines whether an objectsubjected to detection with the uncertain information (hereinafterreferred to as a subjected-to-detection object X) is in the mask region.If the subjected-to-detection object X is in the mask region and theanswer at step S16 is therefore YES, then the vehicle ECU 22 proceeds tostep S17. At step S17, the vehicle ECU 22 considers thesubjected-to-detection object X to be a stationary object. At step S18,the vehicle ECU 22 performs the collision avoidance process (the secondactuation process) directed to stationary objects, and terminates thecollision avoidance process. In this case, the vehicle ECU 22 considersthe position of the object X included in the moving-object detectioninformation to be a stationary object position, and based on thestationary object position, the vehicle ECU 22 performs collisionavoidance control to actuate the safety devices 30. At step S18, basedon the determination that the subjected-to-detection object X is in themask region, the vehicle ECU 22 restricts the first actuation processdirected to moving objects from being performed. In the presentembodiment, the process step S18 corresponds to the actuationrestriction unit 204 in FIG. 1B.

If the subjected-to-detection object X is not in the mask region and theanswer at step S16 is therefore NO, then the vehicle ECU 22 proceeds tostep S21. At steps S21 and S22, the vehicle ECU 22 performs thecollision avoidance process (the first actuation process) directed tomoving objects. In this case, in the collision avoidance process (firstactuation process) directed to moving objects, the actuation regionwhere the safety devices 30 are to be actuated is set narrower than inthe normal collision avoidance process. Then, at step S22, the vehicleECU 22 performs the collision avoidance process (first actuationprocess) directed to moving objects, and terminates the collisionavoidance process. In the present embodiment, the process step S21corresponds to the actuation region setting unit 205 in FIG. 1B, and theprocess step S22 corresponds to the control unit 206 in FIG. 1B.

Changing the actuation region for the safety devices 30 will now bedescribed with reference to FIG. 4. FIG. 4 illustrates the actuationregion A10 defined in front of the own vehicle CA when the own vehicleCA is traveling forward. The actuation region A10 is a region for thesafety devices 30 to be actuated to avoid a collision with a movingobject when the first actuation process directed to moving objects isperformed. The actuation region A10 is defined as a region having apredefined width in the lateral direction (x direction) in the forwarddirection of travel of the own vehicle CA.

More specifically, the actuation region A10 is defined as a region witha predefined margin on each of the left and right sides of the width ofthe own vehicle CA. The width of the actuation region A10 is D11. On thecondition that a moving object is present in the actuation region A10,the vehicle ECU 22 performs the first actuation process on the movingobject. For example, if the answer at step S13 is NO and thus thevehicle ECU 22 proceeds to step S22, that is, if the moving-objectdetection information is certain information, the vehicle ECU 22performs the first actuation process based on the presence or absence ofa moving object in the actuation region A10 having the width of D11.

However, at step S21, the moving-object detection information isuncertain information, and then the width of the actuation region A10 ischanged from D11 to D12 (D12<D11). That is, when the moving-objectdetection information is uncertain information, the actuation region A10is changed to a narrower region than when the moving-object detectioninformation is certain information. Upon preceding from step S21 to stepS22, the first actuation process is performed at step S22 based on thepresence or absence of a moving object in the actuation region A10having the width of D12.

If at step S14 it is determined that there is no stationary objectaround the own vehicle and the answer is therefore NO, then the vehicleECU 22 proceeds to step S19. In this case, the vehicle ECU 22 recognizesthat the moving-object detection information is uncertain informationand that there is no stationary object among objects detected asuncertain information, and at steps S19 and S20, the vehicle ECU 22re-determines whether the object is a moving object.

In detail, at step S19, the vehicle ECU 22 acquires a position historyof the subjected-to-detection object X (the object subjected todetection with the uncertain information). At subsequent step S20, basedon the position history of the object X, the vehicle ECU 22 determineswhether the object X is actually a moving object. At step S19, for thesubjected-to-detection object X, the vehicle ECU 22 acquires positioninformation from measurements made by the sonar devices 12 everypredefined time interval. In addition, at step S20, the vehicle ECU 22uses a plurality of pieces of position information acquired during apredefined period of time from the current time to a previous timethereto, or a past several pieces of position information from thecurrent time. Then, on the condition that the amount of movement of thesubjected-to-detection object X is equal to or greater than a predefinedvalue and the direction of position change in each cycle calculated fromthe position history is stable, the vehicle ECU 22 determines that thesubjected-to-detection object X is a moving object.

More specifically, as illustrated in FIG. 5, the vehicle ECU 22 usestime-series position data T1 to T5 acquired at predefined time intervalsfor the subjected-to-detection object X to calculate an amount ofmovement of the object X in a predefined period (e.g., an amount ofmovement from times T5 to T1) and a direction of position change at eachpiece of position data, and based on the calculation result, make are-determination as to whether the object X is a moving object.

If at step S20 it is determined that the object X is a moving object,the vehicle ECU 22 proceeds to step S21. Then, at steps S21 and S22, thevehicle ECU 22 performs the collision avoidance process (the firstactuation process) directed to moving objects as described above. Inthis case, at step S21, the vehicle ECU 22 sets the actuation regionwhere the safety devices 30 are to be actuated to a narrower region thannormal, and then at step S22, performs the collision avoidance process(the first actuation process) directed to moving objects.

If at step S20 it is not determined that the object X is a movingobject, the vehicle ECU 22 terminates the collision avoidance process.In this case, it remains uncertain whether the subjected-to-detectionobject X is actually a moving object. Thus, performance of the firstactuation process directed to moving objects is withheld.

The present embodiment described in detail above can provide thefollowing advantages.

(A1) In the present embodiment, when any of certain information anduncertain information is acquired as the moving-object detectioninformation, the safety devices 30 are actuated based on the position ofthe object subjected to detection with the certain information or theuncertain information. When actuating the safety devices 30, theactuation region where the safety devices 30 are to be actuated ischanged according to whether the moving-object detection information iscertain information or uncertain information. This allows the safetydevices 30 to be properly actuated depending on whether a moving objectis detected around the own vehicle as the certain information or as theuncertain information.

(A2) Specifically, when the moving-object detection information isuncertain information, the determination region is narrowed by narrowingthe actuation region in the forward direction of travel of the ownvehicle, in the lateral direction of the own vehicle. Therefore, thesafety devices 30 can be properly actuated in the forward direction oftravel of the own vehicle, whether the moving-object detectioninformation is certain information or uncertain information.

(A3) In the present embodiment, even if the moving-object detectioninformation is uncertain as to whether the object is a moving objectaround the own vehicle, the object is determined to be a moving objectbased on the time-series position history of the object. This alsoallows the safety devices 30 to be actuated properly.

(A4) When the presence or absence of a moving object is uncertain andthe moving-object detection information is thus uncertain information,and further when it is determined that there is a stationary object,such as a wall, around the object detected as a moving object, an objectnear the stationary object may be mistakenly detected as a movingobject.

In this regard, in the present embodiment, when it is determined that astationary object is present around the own vehicle, at least eitherneighborhood-of-stationary-object regions A1 that are regions includingthe stationary object and its surroundings, or far-side regions A2 thatare regions on the far side of the stationary object with respect to theown vehicle, are set as a mask region. When the moving-object detectioninformation is uncertain and the object subjected to detection with theuncertain information is present in the mask region, actuation of thesafety devices 30 directed to the moving object is restricted. With thisconfiguration, even if another stationary object present around the wallas a stationary object is mistakenly determined to be a moving object,the inconvenience of the safety devices 30 being unnecessarily actuateddue to a false determination that the other stationary object is amoving object can be suppressed.

Other Embodiments

The above embodiments may be modified and implemented as follows.

(B1) Each camera 11 is not limited to a monocular camera. Alternatively,each camera 11 may be a stereo camera.

(B2) In the above embodiment, when the moving-object detectioninformation is uncertain information, the determination region in theforward direction of travel of the own vehicle is narrowed in thelateral (widthwise) direction of the own vehicle. Alternatively, forexample, when the moving-object detection information is uncertaininformation, instead of or in addition to the determination region inthe forward direction of travel of the own vehicle, determinationregions on both left and right sides of the own vehicle may be narrowedin the longitudinal direction of the own vehicle.

(B3) The size of each mask region may variably be set. For example, in aconfiguration where devices that measure a distance to each object basedon reflected waves from the object are used as the sonar devices 12, thereflection intensity of the reflected waves from the stationary objectmay be different depending on a form, such as the size or the like, ofthe stationary object. Therefore, the size of the mask region may be setbased on the reflection intensity of the reflected waves. Specifically,at step S15 of FIG. 2, the neighborhood-of-stationary-object regions A1and the far-side regions A2 may be set variably using the relationshipillustrated in FIG. 6. In FIG. 6, the relationship between thereflection intensity of the reflected waves and the size of each maskregion is defined such that the higher the reflection intensity of thereflected waves, the larger the mask region. In this configuration,using the relationship illustrated in FIG. 6, either theneighborhood-of-stationary-object regions A1 or the far-side regions A2may variably be set.

Variably setting the size of the mask region based on the reflectionintensity of the reflected waves allows an appropriate mask region to beset according to the form of the stationary object.

(B4) In the above embodiment, an example has been illustrated in whichthe vehicle ECU 22 corresponds to the control device, but the presentdisclosure is not limited thereto. Alternatively, the image processingECU 21 and the vehicle ECU 22 may be combined to correspond to thecontrol device. That is, the control device may generate moving-objectdetection information related to a moving object around the own vehiclebased on the captured images from the imaging devices.

Although the present disclosure has been described in accordance withthe above described embodiments, it is not limited to such embodiments,but also encompasses various variations and variations within equalscope. In addition, various combinations and forms, as well as othercombinations and forms, including only one element, more or less,thereof, are also within the scope and idea of the present disclosure.

What is claimed is:
 1. A control device to be applied to a vehicle equipped with an imaging device that captures images of surroundings of the vehicle, and a safety device that avoids a collision between the vehicle and an object or reduces collision damages, the control device being configured to, based on moving-object detection information around the vehicle detected from the images captured by the imaging device, actuate the safety device for the moving object, the moving-object detection information detected from the captured images including, for each object present around the vehicle, certain information indicating that it is certain that the object is a moving object or uncertain information indicating that it is not certain whether the object is a moving object, the control device comprising: a control unit configured to, in response to any of the certain information and the uncertain information being acquired as the moving-object detection information, actuate the safety device based on a position of the object subjected to detection with the certain information or the uncertain information; and an actuation region setting unit configured to change an actuation region where the safety device is to be actuated, according to whether the moving-object detection information is the certain information or the uncertain information, and when the moving-object detection information is the uncertain information, narrow the actuation region as compared to when the moving-object detection information is the certain information.
 2. The control device according to claim 1, wherein the actuation region setting unit is configured to, when the moving-object detection information is the uncertain information, narrow the actuation region by narrowing the actuation region in a forward direction of travel of the own vehicle, in a lateral direction of the own vehicle.
 3. The control device according to claim 1, further comprising a moving-object determination unit configured to, when the moving-object detection information is the uncertain information, determine that the object subjected to detection with the uncertain information is a moving object, based on a time-series position history of the moving object
 4. The control device according to claim 1, wherein the control device is applied to the vehicle further equipped with a ranging device that measures a distance to an object around the vehicle, and the control device further comprises: a stationary-object determination unit configured to, based on measurements made by the ranging device, determines whether a stationary object is present around the vehicle; a mask region setting unit configured to, in response to the stationary-object determination unit determining that a stationary object is present around the vehicle, set at least either neighborhood-of-stationary-object regions that are regions including the stationary object and its surroundings, or far-side regions that are regions on a far side of the stationary object with respect to the vehicle, as a mask region; and an actuation restriction unit configured to, in response to the moving-object detection information being the uncertain information and to the object subjected to detection with the uncertain information being present in the mask region, restrict actuation of the safety device for the object. 